Madison, the county seat, was incorporated in 1906 and had a 2000 population of 2,677. Its name derives not from James Madison but from William Madison Peyton, who helped establish the county. Madison's Main Street is wedged tightly between the CSX railroad tracks, which parallel Coal River, and a steep hill to the east. It no longer serves as the center of commercial activity, which has shifted to WV 85, the main road leading into Madison from Danville and U.S. 119. Charleston architect H. Rus Warne designed the county courthouse and obtained three other commissions as it was nearing completion in 1919: the Methodist Church, the Masonic Temple, and the Madison National Bank. The former bank (1919), with two engaged Corinthian columns flanking a central entrance, stands out among the twoand three-story commercial structures. It now houses the Boone-Madison Public Library.
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